Mandibular fractures in children-immediate reduction and fixation with orthodontic resin.

Mandibular fractures are not common in children. In Chang Gung Memorial Hospital from 1983 to 1987, we had 354 mandibular fractures but only 12 cases happened to children under 10 years old. Mandibular fractures in children under 10 years cannot be treated in the same way as patient with permanent teeth since possibly neither intermaxillary, nor interosseous fixation can be applied. Complication have been observed in 3 (25%) of these 12 patients, including malocclusion, infection and open bite. In 1988, orthodontic resin was adopted as the fixation material after immediate reduction in three cases. There is no complication and the patients have had a better postinjury quality of life compared with those patients treated from 1983 to 1987. The importance of immediate reduction for mandibular fracture in children and the application of resin cap splint are stressed.